The Wrasse Lover's Thread!

Tcook · Jan 1, 2023

homer1475 said:
My wife said she saw her come out this morning, bu the kole tang, and lemon peel angel were chasing her/him. Odd as they have been in the tank together for a couple years now. Maybe as you say, they didn't have a problem with her, but may have a problem with him? An hour or so later, she dove back into the sand.

She/he hasn't fully changed yet, but has started to with the tail fin starting to turn black. I asked my wife if she noticed any difference in her coloring, but she said she didn't notice.

Time to put a good-sized mirror on the front glass.

homer1475 · Jan 1, 2023

Slocke said:
The people have spoken and the people are wrong!

I'm assuming this thread is not a fan of the Pseudocheilinus seeing as they are the wrasse that hate wrasse and thus us wrasse lovers.

I think you'll find most people voted for a six line are newer to the hobby. You see them everywhere, heck even petco has six lines for like $10.

Slocke · Jan 1, 2023

homer1475 said:
I think you'll find most people voted for a six line are newer to the hobby. You see them everywhere, heck even petco has six lines for like $10.

Yep. Also unfortunately I found that when I started in the hobby I was told I "needed" a sixline and a group of tangs in order to have a successful reef tank (mostly by a certain very popular online store and YouTube channel). I'm very glad I have never had either.

homer1475 · Jan 1, 2023

Slocke said:
Yep. Also unfortunately I found that when I started in the hobby I was told I "needed" a sixline and a group of tangs in order to have a successful reef tank (mostly by a certain very popular online store and YouTube channel). I'm very glad I have never had either.

While the internet has vastly improved this hobby, it has also spread many falsehoods that are spoken as the word of god.

OrionN · Jan 1, 2023

The edge of the tail fin turning black is the first color change IME

i cant think · Jan 1, 2023

Slocke said:
Yep. Also unfortunately I found that when I started in the hobby I was told I "needed" a sixline and a group of tangs in order to have a successful reef tank (mostly by a certain very popular online store and YouTube channel). I'm very glad I have never had either.

I got told the exact same thing… I have only ever had 3 tangs in my 10+ years in the hobby.
One was rehomed due to size (Hepatus), the other killed all his tankmates (Deathly Scopas) and the third I currently have which is mainly harmless.
And as for sixlines I’ve had about 5 of them. only 2 weren’t overtly aggressive. The other 3 were nasty and I have never hated advice in this hobby more. I now try and tell my LFS’s why Sixlines aren’t the best for beginners.

homer1475 · Jan 1, 2023

OrionN said:
The edge of the tail fin turning black is the first color change IME

Pretty much what the internet has to say too. Her back fin is turning black, and I have noticed she starting to loose that diamond pattern white spots. She has also lost the white in the top fin.

Aparker2005 · Jan 1, 2023

We currently have a 125 with the only wrasse being a Melanaurus.

Didn't even think until my wife said something, but I ordered the following today:

Yellow Coris (small)
Lubbocks Fairy
Pintail Fairy

We had a Lubbocks and a McCoskers flasher before with the Mel. Will the Yellow Coris be okay? She was concerned since they're from the same family. Thanks!

saltyhog · Jan 1, 2023

Aparker2005 said:
We currently have a 125 with the only wrasse being a Melanaurus.

Didn't even think until my wife said something, but I ordered the following today:

Yellow Coris (small)
Lubbocks Fairy
Pintail Fairy

We had a Lubbocks and a McCoskers flasher before with the Mel. Will the Yellow Coris be okay? She was concerned since they're from the same family. Thanks!

The H. chrysus won't be a problem. They are probably the most peaceful of all the Halichoeres wrasses IME. The established H. melanurus taking exception to him would be the only concern. An acclimation box is always the best plan when introducing wrasses of the same genus as already established wrasses.

Bob Weigant · Jan 2, 2023

saltyhog said:
The H. chrysus won't be a problem. They are probably the most peaceful of all the Halichoeres wrasses IME. The established H. melanurus taking exception to him would be the only concern. An acclimation box is always the best plan when introducing wrasses of the same genus as already established wrasses.

Ive used acclimation boxes in the past. Everything would go ok until I released them into the population then the " I dont like you " games would began

saltyhog · Jan 2, 2023

Bob Weigant said:
Ive used acclimation boxes in the past. Everything would go ok until I released them into the population then the " I dont like you " games would began

Yeah, sometimes they can fool you....especially fish that have been in the tank long term and have seen the acclimation box thing before. However, if you watch the behavior closely for a few days you can get a good idea what the response will be when released and whether it's safe to do so.

I like to put food in the acclimation box first to attract all the fish to the newcomer to see how they respond as well.

nallured · Jan 2, 2023

Hi . I’m new to the forum and have been out of the hobby for about 15 years. I’m in the planning stages for a 90ish gallon 24”H x 36”L x 24”D display tank. Started working on a fish list, and have become interested in a variety of reef safe wrasses. I’ve noticed that many require a sandbed, but I was intending on running bare bottom this time around for reduced maintenance. Could anyone provide a list of which wrasses are compatible with bare bottom tanks? There will be a fuge on the setup to support pod population if that’s relevant to the question.

Tcook · Jan 3, 2023

nallured said:
Hi . I’m new to the forum and have been out of the hobby for about 15 years. I’m in the planning stages for a 90ish gallon 24”H x 36”L x 24”D display tank. Started working on a fish list, and have become interested in a variety of reef safe wrasses. I’ve noticed that many require a sandbed, but I was intending on running bare bottom this time around for reduced maintenance. Could anyone provide a list of which wrasses are compatible with bare bottom tanks? There will be a fuge on the setup to support pod population if that’s relevant to the question.

Start with the cirrhilabrus genus